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Anna Hamre Executive Board Over 140 applications to President
President perform or present were submitted Anna Hamre for the 2016 Western Division ACDA Teeth, recently Director of Choral Activities, Conference in Pasadena: How can propelled to Cal State Fresno I keep from Singing? It was a international [email protected] stunning number, requiring the acclaim, and the Vice President, Exhibits Chair, energies of numerous committees incomparable Program Ads devoting many hours over the past jazz group M-Pact. two months. Steve Hodson Closing the conference will be Professor of Music, The WD Board has become noted composer Ola Gjeilo performing Westmont College increasingly excited as it has with the renowned Voces8, and the [email protected] developed the framework for a esteemed Pacific Chorale, conducted President-Elect remarkable conference. Those by John Alexander. Travis Rogers submitting applications will be An exciting new development will Napa High School contacted before the July 1 be an [email protected] notification evening deadline. Treasurer Make plans now to be in session Barbara Hobbs The entirely [email protected] board Pasadena February 24-27! devoted to Website anticipates performances by over 30 exploring the a cappella movement Bret Peppo choral groups, including divisional currently sweeping the collegiate scene. Director of Choral Activities, choirs of all ages, honor choirs, Participants will be able to learn music Diablo Valley College professional choirs, and two and techniques from successful [email protected] traveling international ensembles. ensembles and directors. TACTUS Newsletter Editor Kicking off the headliner A collegiate strand, “Hit the
Nina Gilbert ensembles will be Grammy-winning Ground Running,” will give future Director of Choral Activities, Conspirare, with artistic director choir directors a boost as they launch The Webb Schools Craig Hella Johnson also delivering their careers. They will have a chance [email protected] the keynote address. to attend concerts and workshops, Arizona President, Friday will feature the choral consult with veterans, and network Round Table Chair with choral colleagues. Elizabeth Schauer singing sensation Roomful of U. of Arizona School of Music Attendees can look forward to [email protected] reading sessions of recommended literature California President, Composer Track Coordinator while round tables will Lou De La Rosa create informal West Valley College opportunities to network [email protected] with other directors. Interest sessions will offer Hawai‘i President Miguel Felipe information on Director of Choral Activities, performance practice, The University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa organizational techniques, [email protected] choral literature, and much more. The facilities Nevada President, hosting all concerts and Conference Registration Chair workshops are within easy Kim Barclay Ritzer Green Valley HS, Henderson NV walking distance. [email protected] Make plans now to be Utah President in Pasadena February 24- Reed Criddle 27, 2016! Utah Valley U. Craig Hella Johnson, onstage with Conspirare [email protected] bass Robert Harlan, thanks the Academy for Conspirare’s first Grammy award. R&S Chairs: p. 3
2 back to 1 TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 ACDA Western Division ACDA x Western Division Leadership Repertoire & Standards Chairs Boys Travis Rogers, President-Elect Jason Raetz, Phoenix Boys Choir [email protected] Children Travis Rogers has been a Herbert Washington, Gilbert Christian HS member of the California ACDA [email protected] Board of Directors for the past 18 years having served the College & University organization in various Cory Evans, Utah State U. capacities as an R&S Chair, [email protected] Regional Conference Host, Community Choirs Summer Conference (ECCO) Michael Short Chair, and President. He has also Orange HS, Orange Community Master Chorale served ACDA as a conference [email protected] presenter and accompanist for Ethnic and Multicultural many years. During his tenure as Cristian Grases California ACDA President, the Thornton School of Music, USC organization established the [email protected] High School Men’s Honor Choir High School, Interest Session Chair and further developed the Ken Abrams Regional Conferences begun by Choral Director, San Ramon Valley HS his predecessor, Artistic Director, Danville Girls Chorus Ken Abrams. [email protected] Travis has been the choral Junior High/Middle School music instructor at Napa High Laurel Farmer School in Napa, California since General Music and Choir, Andalucia Middle School 1980, directing a program that Assistant Director, Alhambra Choral Institute annually involves over 350 [email protected] students in seven different Men ensembles. His NHS Choirs Zach Halop, Northwood High School perform nearly a hundred times [email protected] a year and have traveled the world performing in ten different Music in Worship countries while earning many Nick Strimple international, national, regional, Music Director, Los Angeles Zimriyah Chorale and local awards including Associate Professor, USC Thornton School of Music twelve first-place honors at the Northern California Golden State [email protected] Invitational High School Choral Festival. 2-Year College Vacant Long active in choral circles as a result of nearly forty years of service as a choral conductor, Travis earned a Bachelor of Music Show Choir degree in piano performance and music education at Biola College Vacant (1978) and a Master of Music degree in choral conducting at Vocal Jazz Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff (1987). He studied choral Greg Amerind music with Andrew Cottle, Jo-Michael Scheibe, Wesley B. Reed, and Assistant Artistic Director Loren Wiebe. Phoenix Boys Choir [email protected] In demand throughout northern and central California as a choral festival adjudicator, clinician, honor choir conductor, Women, Reading Session Chair accompanist, and conference presenter, Travis also serves, part-time, Jennifer Tibben as the music director and service organist at St. Mary’s Episcopal Director of Choirs, Damonte Ranch HS Church in Napa. Bella Voce/Reno Phil Chorus [email protected] Along with being married to his wife of 33 years, Sharon, and the proud father of two adult children, Tara and Jay, Travis enjoys Youth & Students U. of Nevada-Las Vegas traveling and attending collegiate and professional sporting events. David Weiller, Musical Director/Conductor, He has seen at least one major league baseball game in 45 different College Light Opera Co., Falmouth, MA ballparks! [email protected] Executive Board: p. 2
ACDA Western Division TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 back to 1 3 Festive: Announcing our President-elect Travis Rogers. Page 3. Festive: OK, it’s a state president’s report, but it’s from Hawai‘i, it’s Miguel Felipe’s first, and it includes a glorious photo we found on a National Geographic website. Page 12. Festive: Did we mention that Editor’s Note about two weeks after Conspirare committed to headlining our Nina Gilbert conference, they won their first Grammy? Welcome to your spring- REQUEST FOR into-summer TACTUS! Your INFORMATION: are summer reading includes something urgent, something you running a exciting, something reflective, and something festive. for singers or Urgent: are upon us! Auditions are in August. Information is conductors? Please email me with information on pages 6, 7, and 8 of this issue. Also about it. We’d like to run a list of summer educational online: acdawestern.org/honor.html opportunities within our division. Exciting: Division President Anna Hamre shares plans for CALL FOR ARTICLES: do you have a Western Division take our in Pasadena. on a choral issue? Repertoire? Regional composer? Choose Page 2. something that affects choirs worldwide, and interview Western Division colleagues about it. CD/iTunes/YouTube Exciting: will be in Bermuda in August production? Wardrobe? Social or gender issues? Want to 2016! Travel yourself, or invite some or all of your choir write an article and need some help brainstorming a topic? members. Page 5. You can reach me via email with suggestions, requests, or Reflective: High School R&S Chair Ken Abrams shares ideas-in-progress: [email protected]. And you can his rescue of a difficult year. Page 13. help TACTUS by taking our Reader Survey. Click “Reader Festive: Kirke Mechem turns 90 on August 16! Survey” or paste this link into your Eliza Rubenstein’s exclusive interview starts on page 9. browser: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1H- qAufdMhJVy_4wO7Kp0fEZs_LisQI3oEFfGJqmz0z8/viewform
4 back to 1 TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 ACDA Western Division
✰✰✰ ANN0UNCING ✰✰✰ 2016 ACDA Western Division Honor Choirs
February 24-27, 2016 • Pasadena Civic Auditorium
Junior High School SATB Honor Choir Conductor: Francisco J. Núñez, a MacArthur “genius” fellow, is a composer, conductor, visionary, leading figure in music education and the artistic director/founder of the National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award-winning Young People’s Chorus of New York City (YPC), renowned worldwide for its diversity and artistic excellence. Since its founding, Mr. Núñez has changed the perception of the capabilities of a children’s chorus, dramatically heightening an awareness of the unlimited potential of children to rise to unforeseen levels of artistry. He also leads New York City’s University Glee Club as its fifth conductor since the all-men’s chorus was established in 1894, and is sought after nationwide as a guest conductor by professional orchestras and choirs. Mr. Núñez is a master teacher and advisor, and frequent keynote speaker as a leading authority on the role of music in achieving equality and diversity among children in today’s society. He composes countless compositions and arrangements in all musical formats and styles for choirs, orchestras and solo instruments, and his works are published by Boosey & Hawkes. Mr. Núñez has received an ASCAP Victor Herbert Award, the New York Choral Society’s Choral Excellence Award, and ABC-TV honored him as its “Person of the Week.” His writings are published by Cambridge University Press.
Youth Treble Honor Choir Conductor: Judith Herrington is the Founder and Artistic Director of the highly acclaimed Tacoma Youth Chorus, a choral education program of seven select choirs, grades 1 through 12, serving more than 240 young people in the south Puget Sound area of Washington. The chorus is known for performance of outstanding music literature, superb musicianship and collaborations with professional performing organizations. In addition, Ms. Herrington brings more than 35 years of teaching and conducting experience to her work at Charles Wright Academy in Tacoma, Washington, where she received the Inspirational Faculty Award and the Murray Foundation Chair for Teaching Excellence. A graduate of the University of Oregon, she earned her Master of Education degree from Lewis and Clark College in Portland and has furthered her conducting studies through master classes with Rodney Eichenberger and Henry Leck. Ms. Herrington is highly regarded as a guest conductor, workshop and choral clinician, currently serves as Past President of the Washington state chapter of the American Choral Directors Association, and conducted the Junior High School Honor Choir at the 2008 ACDA Western Division conference in Anaheim. She has published choral compositions and arrangements and co-authored choral teaching texts through Colla Voce Publishing and Pavane Publishing, the latter for whom she also edits a choral series.
High School SATB Honor Choir Conductor: Maria Guinand is an internationally renowned Venezuelan choral conductor and specialist in Latin-American Choral Music of the 20th and 21st centuries. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music from the University of Bristol, England, then earned a Choral Conductor Diploma from the Youth Orchestra Academy in Caracas. Ms. Guinand’s leadership positions have included being dean of the Jose Angel Lamas Music School and of the University Simón Bolívar in Caracas, where she has worked as a professor of music and conductor for 28 years. In Venezuela, she conducts the Cantoría Alberto Grau, the Orfeón Universitario Simón Bolívar, and the Schola Cantorum de Venezuela, with whom she has toured extensively and recorded many times. Ms. Guinand served as the conductor of the Festivalensemble Choir for The European Music Festival from 2001 to 2004. She has been a member of the Executive Committee of the International Music Council of UNESCO, and has served as Vice President for Latin America and First Vice-President in the International Federation for Choral Music. Ms. Guinand was the principal organizer of the Americas Cantat III held in Caracas in 2000, and is widely known from her association with Osvaldo Golijov’s La Pasión según San Marcos.
Polly Vasché, Honor Choirs Coordinator • [email protected]
6 back to 1 TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 ACDA Western Division February 24-27, 2016 Pasadena CA
The ultimate goal of the ACDA Western Division Honor Choirs is to bring deserving and talented singers to a “mountaintop” experience with great choral literature and world-class conductors. Make plans now to bring your singers to Pasadena in February of 2016!
Youth Treble Honor Choir Grades 6-9 SSA, Unchanged voices Judith Herrington, Tacoma Children’s Chorus, Conductor Peggy Spool (San Jose CA), Manager
Junior High Honor Choir Grades 7-9 SATB Francisco Nuñez, Young People’s Chorus of New York City, Conductor Laurel Farmer (Phoenix AZ), Manager
High School Honor Choir Grades 10-12 SATB Maria Guinand, Caracas Venezuela, Conductor Curtis Mannah (Fremont CA), Manager
Polly Vasché (Modesto CA), Honor Choirs Coordinator
August 2015 ...... Online audition site opens October 9, 2015 ...... Online auditions close at midnight October 30, 2015 ...... Sponsors notified of audition results November 20, 2015 ...... US Mail postmark deadline for participation forms and fee fee may also be paid online via Sponsor December 2015 ...... Music sent to singers upon receipt of materials; Singers access rehearsal voice files online February 24, 2016 ...... Honor Choir Registration, 3-5pm, Pasadena CA February 24-27, 2016 ...... Rehearsals February 27, 2016 ...... Honor Choirs Concert, afternoon, Pasadena Civic Auditorium
All applicants must sing under the direction of, and be recommended by, a current member of the American Choral Directors Association, who is herein referred to as Sponsor.
Fees do not include housing, meals, or travel. Audition fee: $10 (non-refundable) Participation fee: $130 (non-refundable) includes expenses for Honor Choir conductor, accompanist, rehearsal and performance facilities, music packet and rehearsal voice files, concert program, office materials, and miscellaneous costs.
The designated Honor Choir hotels are the Hilton and the Sheraton, both a short walk to prime dining and shopping areas as well as to the Pasadena Convention Center. The Sheraton is also adjacent to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
ACDA Western Division TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 back to 1 7 Each Honor Choir participant must be accompanied to Pasadena by a parent or other designated chaperone, age 21 or older. One chaperone may be responsible for more than one singer.
Singers and chaperones are responsible for all meal costs in Pasadena. A list of local eateries from markets to fast food to restaurants of all types will be issued. Many are within a short walk of the Hilton Pasadena.
Honor Choir participants and chaperones arrange and pay for their own travel.
Two Honor Choirs rehearse in ballrooms at the Hilton Pasadena, and one Honor Choir rehearses in the Gold Room of the Civic Auditorium.
The Honor Choirs Concert is in the beautiful and historically significant 3,000-seat Pasadena Civic Auditorium.
Up to 200 singers for each Honor Choir will be selected by audition. All applicants must be sponsored by a current member of ACDA, and may be members of school, church, or community choral organizations. Auditionees will select one of the following: Youth Treble Grades 6-9 SSA Junior High Grades 7-9 SATB High School Grades 10-12 SATB Note: While we will make every effort to assign auditionees to the choir of their choice, Sopranos and Altos grades 7-9 may be placed in either the Youth Treble or the Junior High Honor Choirs. The purpose of this is to balance the sections in each of the ensembles. The choir assignment will be independent of audition ranking, so that voices of equal ability will sing in both choirs. Details on instructions for Sponsors to access the OpusEvent website and complete the online auditions will be posted later this summer. It is basically the same technical process as for the Santa Barbara ’14 and Salt Lake City ’15 auditions.
(detailed instructions will follow) Element 1 Upper Range Vocalization Element 2 Lower Range Vocalization Element 3 “My Country, ’Tis of Thee” (America): Sing the first verse unaccompanied, beginning on the pitch designated for your chosen voice part. Pitch designations will follow in later postings on our website. Element 4 Prepared Solo: Sing one minute of a Folk Song, Art Song, or Aria in English or other language. Limit the introduction to 5 seconds. Pop music of any type will not be accepted. The solo should demonstrate the best quality and range of the voice. The solo may be sung with or without accompaniment. We are looking forward to having your singers audition! Polly Vasché, Coordinator, and Honor Choirs Staff
8 back to 1 TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 ACDA Western Division was when I decided to write my first Kirke Mechem turning 90 opera. I never saw a single opera growing up, and not until I lived in Vienna in my Exclusive TACTUS Interview! early thirties did I begin to understand how marvelous operas can be. But it was Eliza Rubenstein many years later, after attending more and California R&S Chair, Women’s Choirs (until June 30) more opera performances and studying Editor, California Cantate (from July 1) opera scores, that I developed into an opera composer. Kirke Mechem celebrates his 90th birthday this summer with the I have naturally written in a great variety publication of his autobiography, Believe Your Ears: Life of a of styles throughout my own career. Lyric Composer, available in July from Rowman & Littlefield These vary according to the texts, just as Publishing Co. Click this paragraph to visit the book’s website. the musical style of my opera John Brown is widely different from that of the comic ER You refer to your musical career as changed over the years? Tartuffe. My chamber and piano works “unorthodox.” What do you mean by that? KM Unfortunately, I don’t listen to as show more evolution in harmonic KM How many other composers never much music as I used to. I have to wear a complexity than do the choral works saw a harmony book, never took a music hearing aid now, and it changes the (though In the Land of Morgenstern — course, never participated in any musical experience somewhat. I can still hear SATB, piano—is just as complex in a ensemble until they were twenty-two? music in my head as well as ever, so I humorous way). My Piano Sonata and After serving in World War II, I was a read scores a lot. When I go to concerts or String Quartet are more adventurous than creative writing major at Stanford, which operas, it’s usually to hear new works. I any of my choral or operatic works, but I attended mainly to play on its highly suppose it’s a sin that I shouldn’t admit, that doesn’t mean I like them better. My ranked tennis team. Music was a but my taste hasn’t changed all that much. symphonic music probably falls passionate hobby from my teen years on; I If you look at my opus 1 (Three somewhere between the choral and played almost everything by ear and Madrigals: “Impromptu,” “Deny It As chamber styles in terms of harmonic wrote stacks of dreadful songs. She Will” and “Moral Precept,” 1953), complexity. On the other hand, maybe you won’t find it radically different from composers have no business trying to ER What guidance or caution would you my most recent choral works. offer to an aspiring composer today? What I listen to now KM My advice is a quotation attributed to is quite different from Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself; everyone else early in my career. As is already taken.” Learn by studying the a child I listened music you love, especially by listening to mostly to piano music it. Don’t be afraid of imitating; that’s how that my mother every composer has learned. I don’t mean played. Then lots of that students shouldn’t also study other popular songs, which kinds of music to broaden their horizon, I tried to copy with but they should never take anyone else’s little success. When I word for what is good and what is bad. got the choral bug, Your own personality, character and taste then of course I are your most important attributes. listened to and sang much of that ER How have you found a balance in your own career between self-assurance and repertoire. When I openness to critique from others? received my MA from Harvard, I knew KM If I thought my music could be I had to work hard at written by anyone else, why would I the piano to be a bother composing it? But for a young better musician, so I artist, I admit that you have a valid point. practiced four to five A composer does have to learn the craft. hours a day and That’s why I say it’s okay at first to listened to and wrote imitate. As for being open to criticism but all kinds of music. balancing that with self-assurance, I hope When I began writing to achieve that some day. After all, I’m for orchestra, my not yet ninety; one can’t learn impossible listening and score tricks quickly. We composers never get reading became over wanting to have reviews of our almost exclusively of music written by our mothers. great and modern Mechem and his wife, Donata-Doe Mechem, with orchestral works. The Julie Fischer, Eliza Rubenstein, Lou De La Rosa— ER What music have you been listening to and Willie Mays—summer 2014. lately? How have your own musical tastes biggest shift, however, ACDA Western Division TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 back to 1 9 describe or evaluate their own music. ER How can choral conductors craft programs that feel cohesive, while still holding ER You’ve heard a lot of choruses in your the interest of an increasingly distractible audience? life. What, in your mind, separates the truly memorable ones from the rest? KM Okay, I’ll risk alienating some conductors by sounding off about some of the poorly attended choral programs I have heard. Conductors in universities have it KM The same thing that separates any great singer from the others—the ability relatively easy in this respect; they don’t have to depend on the box office to keep to make the character and drama of a their choral ensembles alive. But think of the many smaller community choruses musical setting come alive in every and chamber choirs—both professional and amateur—who have to get money phrase. A singer—and a chorus—must somewhere to continue to exist. (The very large symphonic and community understand the significance of the words choruses survive because their audiences—spouses, friends, relatives—are and how the composer has translated proportionately much larger than those of a 20-member chamber chorus, and them into music. Verdi wrote that he much preferred a singer who sang with because they usually sing the great old chestnuts.) I feel great sympathy with the great dramatic truth to those with more conductors of smaller, private ensembles, but that doesn’t keep me from noticing beautiful voices who sang everything some programming that could be changed. Here is a short list: with the same beautiful tone. We all know that intonation, balance, phrasing, • Don’t make audiences read translations for more than a small part of your and other technical aspects of choral program. Most of your pieces should have been composed to good texts in the singing are of great importance. But it is language of your audience. sometimes overlooked that a chorus must • Don’t go overboard on arrangements, whether of folk songs, spirituals, or treat each piece differently and make its audience experience the unique quality of Christmas carols. The skill of the arranger will of course mitigate this somewhat, each. If they all sound alike, the but I for one like to hear original music on interesting poems. conductor either has not taught the • Before you program a new piece, make sure it is good music. Even in major singers correctly, or else the conductor is choosing works that are too similar or too cities, only a tiny audience will put up with mediocre music just to hear what is bland. That’s why choral cycles, suites, new. You can’t afford the luxury of supporting local composers who are not cantatas are so useful; they have built-in moving or engaging your listeners. Look for better local composers. I have attended stories, contrast, variety that carry an too many concerts where there were more people on stage than listeners, who may audience from piece to piece with more have previously learned that this chorus exists mostly to try out new pieces. intensity than does a program of unconnected three-minute pieces. • A corollary of the foregoing is that you must make up programs that appeal to your audience, not just to your colleagues and critics or for your own ER You've remained very active in the résumé. If your taste is primarily for ancient music or for atonal modern music, and choral world, so you stay up-to-date on trends in our profession. Which ones have your purpose is to “educate” your audience, then you must resign yourself to very excited and intrigued you, and which ones limited attendance. I’m not saying that that is not a worthwhile endeavor; I simply have left you unimpressed? want you to know the facts of concert life. KM I am not a fan of show-choirs when • Balance is the key to all of the above. There are chamber choruses with the visual becomes an enemy of the relatively large, devoted audiences. They will accept almost any novelty or offbeat musical. I don’t mind discreet uses of the visual (I’ve seen effective, limited use of piece if they have the confidence that the conductor always tries to give them a the boy-vs.-girl concept in such pieces as varied program of satisfying, engrossing musical experiences. “The Lighthearted Lovers,” but TV- KM I have already referred to the was so operatic that I should be writing inspired show-choirs usually represent a importance of understanding the dramatic for the stage. It was nearly twenty years deterioration of musical standards). I also element in choral music. Everyone loves a before that occurred to me. am discouraged at choral conventions story; to tell it in music is the essence of when novelty for its own sake displaces opera and often of choral music as well. Writing an opera takes me a good three classics that the younger conductors may Not in such beautiful choral pieces as years, whereas choral pieces rarely not know. I am happy that there has been Thompson’s Alleluia or Lauridsen’s O require more than three weeks. Because of a trend toward music from other cultures, Magnum Mysterium, but even in these and this huge investment of time, I am much but we must be careful also to nurture our other sacred works there is drama in the more careful about choosing the subject own roots. music; they are more than sheer beauty. of an opera. I turn down all commissions They encompass emotion, and many other for operas because I want to choose and ER TACTUS readers know you best as a human feelings that should not be glossed write the libretto myself. (But I’m choral composer, but you’re also a prolific over with a uniformly reverent sheen. delighted when a company commissions and well-known operatic composer. Tell us That is more evident, of course, in an opera I have already composed.) about the differences between creating cantatas and passions, which often are choral works and creating operatic ones, The half-dozen or so choral works I have quite close to opera. As long ago as 1960, and how each genre has informed and written recently—since finishing what is several critics wrote that my influenced the other in your own career. probably my last opera, Pride and unaccompanied cantata Songs of Wisdom Prejudice—show a curious progression in 10 back to 1 TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 ACDA Western Division composer more of a chance to write a that because or in spite of your career as a unified piece of music, rather than musician? forcing the music to chase a multitude KM You flatter me. Maybe the best of words around. Among my favorite answer I can give is something I saw in a sources for choral music are Sara cartoon on Facebook recently. A Teasdale and the King James version of youngster says to his mother, “I want to the Bible (not the more accurate, less be a musician when I grow up.” She poetic modern translations). answers, “Well, you’ll have to make up ER How has the practical part of your craft your mind. You can’t do both.” There are evolved? Has your creative process scientific studies that show that playing changed over the years? You’re fairly music is the most thorough workout you techno-savvy, but I think you still compose can give to your brain. And music is longhand, yes? Do you use the new endlessly fascinating. technologies available to composers? I also have this advantage: I was an KM I have a son who taught me to use athlete all my life; that has kept me in computers, but I still write music with a good physical condition. It has not been pencil. As we all know, computers can willpower or virtue that has kept me in cause a lot of grief when they go wrong. shape during my middle and old age. It is When I’m composing, the last thing I simply that when you are accustomed to need is to be confronted with technical constant aerobic exercise, you can’t just problems I am not equipped to deal with. stop. If you do, within two weeks you feel It’s habit and convenience, too. I sit in my fifteen years older. So I swim half a mile Mechem playing tennis at Stanford, comfortable chair at the window in my three times a week and walk at least a 1949. studio, a clipboard large enough to hold half-hour on the other days. It has become a necessity, but one that I usually enjoy. my approach to choral composition. As a two orchestral-size manuscript pages in young choral composer I gradually moved my lap, with a piano close by to use when But longevity and good health are also the from setting texts verbatim to seeking I want to. It’s what I’ve been used to for products of good genes, which is just larger forms by combining and adapting sixty years; why change? another word for good luck, which I have had all my life. My parents were musical, them into cycles, cantatas and suites, until ER You’ll be 90 years old in August and creative, healthy and active. So is my finally I decided it was time to write you’re sharper and more spry than I am. Is wife. What more could anyone ask? operas. And now that I am once again writing choral music, I can’t stop acting ER This is an impudently broad question, but can you give us an idea of what you think like a librettist. All of these recent works, distinguishes a successful text-setting from an unsuccessful one? one way or another, are about singing (several also involve laughing), and I KM Yes, it is too complicated and broad to answer in a simple way. Here are some either wrote the texts myself or translated, obvious points to consider: edited, adapted or juxtaposed parts of public-domain texts by Martin Luther, • Do the melodies chosen for the principal motifs of the poem fit the words so Hildegard von Bingen and other poets. I well that they seem perfectly, inevitably made for each other? Or does one seem can’t judge the quality of these pieces, of to force the other to bend to its will? course, but each one is unique. It seems • Imagine a great actor reciting the poem. Does the music have the same kinds of that my experience with opera has changed my way of writing choral music. tempo flexibility, suspense, climaxes, repetitions of mood as the actor’s sensitive reading does? This is called pacing; it is just as important in music as in drama. ER I've always especially appreciated your approach to words; you take care to • Does the form of the musical work seem to evolve from the drama or choose—or write!—intelligent, nuanced psychological development of the poem, or has the composer tried to stuff the texts, and you write music that is always poem into a pre-determined musical form, such as ABA, sonata, or strophic responsive to the words without being form? Or, just as bad, has the composer slavishly followed the outward form of the manipulative or heavy-handed. What poem (sonnet, ballad, etc.) and ignored the poem’s inner life? makes a text appropriate for setting to music, and how would you describe your • Has the composer taken care so that the audience will understand the words, own philosophy of text-setting? or is the contrapuntal texture always so dense that there is no possibility of KM That is a huge subject, about which I understanding them? There are reasons why classical composers used short texts wrote an article for the Choral Journal and a good deal of repetition of the text in choral pieces. Often the listener has a called “The Text Trap.” (It is included in chance at the beginning of a piece to hear the the text sung by all parts in the same my book as an appendix.) Briefly, I like rhythm, or by one part alone as the subject of fugue-like imitation. When the common Anglo-Saxon words rather than learned ones. Philosophical or political composer takes this kind of care, the audience is more likely to respond emotionally concepts don’t interest me as much as to both words and music as they develop. human emotions. Short texts give the ACDA Western Division TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 back to 1 11
Miguel Ángel Felipe HI-ACDA President
Aloha Mai Kākou! Hello to All! (HYOC) to form a larger, Greetings from Honolulu! The more inclusive festival for high st choral art is alive and well on school students in 2016. Our 41 E our islands. Like the national Hīmeni Kākou is in the works with organization, we work to “inspire excellence in Tesfa Wondemagegnehu as choral music through , , , clinician for both festivals. and .” We are led by a vigorous board of thirteen members who represent the HI-ACDA continues to lift up range of choral activity and local sounds and has experience in Hawai‘i and a recently passed a formal big slice of the history of policy to ensure that we choral music in our islands. “promote existing Hawaiian choral repertoire and foster the growth of new repertoire HI-ACDA supports from our islands.” At the members and the wider same time, composers like community through events Herb Mahelona on that educate and develop. Hawai‘i Island and Hearing from our members Jon Magnussen on O‘ahu that more opportunities continue to pen new works would be helpful, we’re and fresh arrangements of planning our first traditional tunes. The Professional Development Hawaiian tradition is alive, Day on September 5. We rooted, and growing. hope this new event—a single, focused day in western O‘ahu, with HI-ACDA continues to work offerings for those teaching intentionally in support of elementary and middle our choral community, school and those in sacred especially in the area of music—will provide our advocacy. In 2014-15, a community with a chance to program called Conductor learn from leading choral Connections welcomed figures in the islands plus Rod Eichenberger (FSU), such visitors as Albert Tay, Cristian Grases (USC), founder and director of the Jason Bishop (Drew U.), Kodály Academy of Music, Gabriel Crouch Singapore. (Princeton), Erik Westberg (Sweden), J.D. Burnett (UGA), and E Hīmeni Kākou 2015: Gabriel Crouch leads singers We celebrated 50 years of from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, University of Jonathan Velasco Hawai‘i choral history in Hawai‘i at West O‘ahu, Kapi‘olani Community College, (Philippines). We also October 2014 with The BIG and Leeward Community College at Central Union developed strong inroads in SING: 800 participants, Church, Honolulu. Photo by John Ewalt, doctoral social media and email dodging Hurricane Ana. In student and teaching assistant in chemistry, U. of communications. Armed addition, we produce a high Hawai‘i at Mānoa. Used by permission. with our first email list, we school choral festival called yourshot.nationalgeographic.com/photos/5606006/ now reach 340+ musicians Ho‘olōkahi (Hawaiian for in Hawai‘i with each news “to come together as one”), led in recent years by blast. Plus, we’ve started ArtsHawaii.org, the first Cristian Grases, 2015; Ron Kean, 2014; and comprehensive arts calendar for our islands. Edith Copley, 2013. For college singers, HI-ACDA On behalf of your friends in Hawai‘i, organizes E Hīmeni Kākou (Hawaiian for “Let’s sing A hui hou! Until we meet again! together”) welcoming such clinicians as Gabriel Crouch, 2015; Pearl Shangkuan, 2014; and Katherine FitzGibbon, 2013. Looking forward, we will combine forces with the Hawai‘i Youth Opera Chorus 12 back to 1 TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 ACDA Western Division
Ken Abrams AKA fixing a bad year R&S Chair, High School
When I saw colleagues at the 2015 Salt Lake City ACDA National Conference and they asked how my year was going, I had very few positive things to say. My students this year seemed to be more entitled than ever and less hard-working, focused, dedicated and committed than any time in the past. So when I returned to my high school classroom, I was determined to shake things up and salvage this bad year. That took a lot of effort on my part and from my students. First, we actually took two class days, split into small groups and made several lists: 1) General Class Rules (no cell phones, come prepared, etc.). 2) Daily Necessities (respect, dedication, love for music, etc.) 3) Stuff we like, but don’t need daily (tours, shows, community events, etc.) and 4) Items Necessary for Positive Change (maturity, humility, focus, etc.). Next, after all of this self-evaluation with my choir and with the reward of some positive changes actually taking place in the classroom, I decided that I too needed to dig a little deeper and reflect on things that I should be bringing to class. Here are the ideas I came up with. I’m sure most of you already have a similar list, but just like the drought, when these tough years manifest themselves, it’s nice to have some tried and true tools! Yes, we all In spite of an uproar or utter strive for perfection in every way, but let me tell chaos, remain calm and be the person you always you – a bad group of kids can really zap you and strive to be. Show them your best side! lower every expectation you ever had. Maintain How do your classroom ethics and personal standards at all you respect or care for those who have no respect costs. for others or for leadership or for you as a teacher? Give them the best Not easy. Mutual respect is earned, it doesn’t just music for their appropriate level. I was taking the happen—much like trust. A bad crop of kids can easy way out this year whittle this away. Showing your because it seemed that Like the drought, when tough years humility and support in spite of they were less than manifest themselves, it’s nice to have the way they behave not only average, but when I finally makes you the bigger person, but did spring a really difficult tried-and-true tools. it gives them a model for and meaty piece on them—Eric Whitacre’s improved behavior and citizenship. Cloudburst—they ate it up. When in the dregs A sense of of chaos, it is more important than ever to be well- the past gives a better picture for the future. organized and prepared. Have multiple strategies Remind them of your personal history and your and game plans at your fingertips. Rally the help of journey in the choir room. Hold them to the rigors parents, student leaders and the greater and standards that others helped to create. community. These are some With the thought that “next year will be of the biggest carrots you can throw at a bunch of better,” don’t let a possibility slip by in regards to high school students. It also strokes their egos and recruitment. Do everything you can to ensure the gets them more committed and involved. membership you seek. Elicit support and input When I’m from your current students as well as other faculty having a bad class, it’s easy to cut out the fun stuff members, especially at the middle school level. because we’re so focused on fixing the bad stuff Call your (music and behavior). Throw in a helping handful colleagues and share your problems and dilemmas. of FUN (new warm-ups, YouTube videos, more Maybe it’s not just you, maybe it really IS global! solo opportunities, etc.). Whatever the situation, unload your burdens, get some of it off your chest and find some kind of peace. May certainly felt better than January did in my classroom environment. Things have really improved for me and I’m extremely happy for that—but, truth be told, I’m ecstatic that summer vacation is finally here!
ACDA Western Division TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 back to 1 13
14 back to 1 TACTUS Spring-Summer 2015 ACDA Western Division Advertise in TACTUS TACTUS appears three times a year: early fall, January, and late spring (usually May), emailed as a PDF to members of ACDA Western Division—2,217 choral directors in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and Hawaii—and posted and archived on Western Division’s website.
Advertising rates Full page (7.5 by 10 inches) $200 Half page: vertical (3.5 by 10 inches) or horizontal (7.5 by 4.5 inches) $120 1/3 page (7.5 by 3.5 inches; other shapes also possible) $95 1/4 page (3.5 by 4.5 inches; or other shapes) $75 1/8 page (3.5 by 2.25 inches; or other shapes) $50 Your ad includes whatever links you’d like to your website and email. If you advertise in the fall and winter issues, your spring ad is free.
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Have an article? Have an announcement or report? Have an epiphany? Know someone who would add to the knowledge base of Western Division by writing an article? Have an idea? Need an idea? Best way to proceed is to contact the editor so that we can brainstorm and develop your topic. TACTUS is produced using Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat. Disclaimer: Opinions expressed are those of the people who express them, not of ACDA nor the editor.
Please share photos of your choral tchotchkes! This little conducting statue was given to Heather Dolph Kinkennon when she was in graduate school.
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